a mixed chick's mixed thoughts on a mixed-up world

November 08, 2009

Light-skinned-ed Girl in Egypt

Hello from way over here! It took a full 40 hours to get here with some very long lay-overs including one overnight at the Cairo airport but it was well worth it. We're now in Sharm El Sheik -- on the Red Sea coast. Beautiful but kind of like Cancun in the amount of touristic development--it's all hotels, restaurants, bling.

I would include photos except the best stuff I've seen has been underwater. I dipped into the Red Sea the other day just off the hotel's jetty and felt like I had jumped into a giant aquarium. Gorgeous coral reef, band all colors and stripes of fish. I'm not a big snorkler, but even I couldn't resist seeing that.

Yesterday took the tour from hell to St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai to see the "burning bush" and the Well of Moses where he is said to have met his wife, Zipporah. But group tours are not my thing. We waited for the stragglers more than once for up to an hour. We left too early to catch breakfast in the hotel and we didn't have lunch until 2:30pm. On the way back the bus tire ran out of air so we had to stop for a repair job.

Luckily, the night and my flagging spirits were saved by a delightful meal at a restaurant called Camel in Naama Bay. We joined a group of Israelis we'd met earlier in the day for delightful conversation and a great meal.

Today, some shopping in the Old Market, some snorkeling and some rest. Oh, yeah, and I'll take some photos. Promise.

Comments

Light-skinned-ed Girl in Egypt

Hello from way over here! It took a full 40 hours to get here with some very long lay-overs including one overnight at the Cairo airport but it was well worth it. We're now in Sharm El Sheik -- on the Red Sea coast. Beautiful but kind of like Cancun in the amount of touristic development--it's all hotels, restaurants, bling.

I would include photos except the best stuff I've seen has been underwater. I dipped into the Red Sea the other day just off the hotel's jetty and felt like I had jumped into a giant aquarium. Gorgeous coral reef, band all colors and stripes of fish. I'm not a big snorkler, but even I couldn't resist seeing that.

Yesterday took the tour from hell to St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai to see the "burning bush" and the Well of Moses where he is said to have met his wife, Zipporah. But group tours are not my thing. We waited for the stragglers more than once for up to an hour. We left too early to catch breakfast in the hotel and we didn't have lunch until 2:30pm. On the way back the bus tire ran out of air so we had to stop for a repair job.

Luckily, the night and my flagging spirits were saved by a delightful meal at a restaurant called Camel in Naama Bay. We joined a group of Israelis we'd met earlier in the day for delightful conversation and a great meal.

Today, some shopping in the Old Market, some snorkeling and some rest. Oh, yeah, and I'll take some photos. Promise.